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PRIMARY: New Design Collection Shines Light on Local Production

What does it mean to design and make things in Toronto? How do you make Toronto design more affordable? What are the challenges in manufacturing in Toronto?

These are the questions that drove seasoned designers Shaun Moore and Kate Tessier to create PRIMARY, a collection of designs that is entirely Toronto-made and accessible. This is the first collaboration for Moore, a furniture designer, and Tessier, an industrial designer, who are both passionate about local production.

“I’ve been wanting to work towards a collection like this for a while now, but have just not had the impetus,” said Moore, owner of MADE. “So, when Kate came to me with the proposal for a project that was inherently Toronto, I immediately jumped on board.”

PRIMARY collection will be presented at TO DO 2016, and will include lighting, eyewear, vessels, textiles, and decorative objects – all of which were locally designed and made.

“Many designers in our small community make their own designs and do so in very limited quantities, which results in a higher price point and pieces that aren’t affordable for consumers,” said Tessier. “When Shaun and I started developing this project, we created the constraints that each piece would be retail-ready, reasonably affordable and accessible.”

Moore and Tessier will further explore the ideas of local production and accessible design at TO DO Talks: PRIMARY on Jan. 24, 2016. The open forum will encourage collaborative discussion among designers and members of Toronto Made, a non-profit dedicated to connecting manufacturing industries.

This event is free and open to the public. Find our more and RSVP here.